Find the Experts

In her book, Computer-Assisted Research: A Guide to Tapping Online Informaton, Nora Paul focuses on identifying reporting tasks and overcoming obstacle in gathering information. In this excerpt, Paul suggests several online resources to help track down expert help.

Look for academic or think tank experts

• Send a message to ProfNet : http://www.profnet.com/reporters.html with a description of what kind of expertise you need.

• Look for a professor in the ProfNet database: http://www.profnet.com/ped.html

• Check out the Experts Resource List: US and Int'l Sources with links to dozens of expert directories. Compiled by St. Petersburg Times researcher Kitty Bennett: http://metalab.unc.edu/slanews/internet/experts.html

• The National Press Club library has an experts database: http://npc.press.org/who/sources.htm

Look for the author of a book on the topic

• Look in Amazon: http://www.amazon.com for authors. To locate them, connect to their publisher’s site and get a contact name to call to ask how to get in touch with them.
• Check out authors in the Library of Congress: Subject Search form: http://lcweb.loc.gov/catalog/browse/bks3subj.html

Look for a government official to talk with

• WhoWhere: U.S. Government: http://www.whowhere.com/Govt/main.html
• Federal Telephone Directories: http://www.info.gov/fed_directory/phone.htm
• Governments Online: EU and other European govt. links, most have personnel directories: http://europa.eu.int/abc/governments/index_en.html
• European Political Resources: links page to country governments, parties and associations: http://www.agora.stm.it/politic/europe.htm
• Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members: http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/chiefs

Find someone in a business which deals with the topic

• GTE SuperPages: http://yp.superpages.com Enter a type of business and pick your state (Doing a story about asbestos in the schools and need to find asbestos removal companies — type asbestos in the category…)

Find a magazine or newsletter on the topic — contact the editors and ask them for writers on the topic

• MediaFinder: http://www.mediafinder.com/
• PubList: http://www.publist.com

Check a web site which locates subject experts

• Pitsco's Ask an Expert: http://www.askanexpert.com

-- Nora M. Paul is on Poynter's Leadership & Management Faculty. She works with journalists to raise their consciousness about efficient, effective, and ethical research and information usage.